Category: Philippine Star

For a change, San Miguel Beer sits on a good spot at this stage of the preliminaries of an import-flavored conference.

No problem in reinforcement, no cramming for late wins in order to join the march to the playoffs like in the last two Commissioner’s Cup campaigns.

With George King proving a royal fit, the Beermen picked up their seventh victory in nine matches in the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup with a 144-113 demolition of Titan Ultra last night at Ynares Center-Antipolo.

Now on an extended three-game streak, SMB virtually assured itself of one of the four seats to the quarterfinals up for grabs in Group A with still three matches to spare.

‘The players are enjoying playing with one another and it seems to me nagkakaroon na sila ng chemistry,’ said coach Leo Austria after meeting their objective before the league takes a break next week to give way to Gilas Pilipinas’ FIBA World Cup Qualifiers and Asian Games stints.

Austria took notice of the bench’s performance and ‘almost balanced scoring’ in their last three outings and lauded his charges for their 34 assists and 69 rebounds against the Giant Risers (2-7).

‘I think it’s a great sign na the players really want to win, especially going to the break. Alam namin makakuha kami ng seven wins before the break, at least 90 percent siguro we’ll be in the quarterfinals with three games remaining (in the October resumption),’ he said.

Their current 7-2 card shows a stark contrast to the Beermen’s situations in the previous reinforced tournaments.

In the Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup, they fielded four imports and couldn’t save their campaign after a 3-4 start, ending at 5-7 and missing the Last-8 altogether. The next edition saw them go through two reinforcements before Bennie Boatwright made his long-awaited comeback, climbing out of a 4-5 opening to make the quarters at 7-5 and sixth seed. They eventually bowed to twice-to-beat No. 2 Rain or Shine.

King delivered 39 points.

The court order temporarily suspending the implementation of the daily minimum wage hike in Metro Manila is set to expire on Thursday, August 13.

Labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines said it is waiting to see if the Pasig City Regional Trial Court will grant the writ of preliminary injunction sought by construction companies Readycon Trading and Construction Corp. and R-II Builders Inc.

TUCP spokesperson Carlos Miguel Oñate told dzMM on Thursday that if the local court grants the injunction, the implementation of the wage hike will remain suspended indefinitely.

Meanwhile, Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Francis Tolentino explained on Wednesday, August 12, that only the court has the power to issue a clarificatory order, dismiss the case, or let the suspension lapse.

‘May mga clarificatory order siyang dapat gawin…’yung hakbangin kung ano ‘yung susunod ay magmumula sa Branch 152,’ Tolentino said.

(She has a clarificatory order to do…the next steps would come from Branch 152)

Tolentino said the labor agency does not have the power to simply order the implementation of the wage hike after the suspension expires.

‘Nakadepende sa kanya, pwede niyang i-dismiss ‘yon kung sasabihin niyang wala siyang jurisdiction,’ the labor secretary said.

This week, several labor groups have already filed a petition before the Supreme Court challenging the lower court’s suspension order.

TUCP said it is also considering taking the same action, depending on the Pasig court’s decision.

‘Hindi po ma-a-afford ng ating mga manggagawa na ma-indefinitely suspended po ‘yung kanilang P60 na wage increase,’ Oñate said.

(Our workers cannot afford to have their P60 wage increase suspended indefinitely.)

Financial milestones come in many forms. A first paycheck deposited into a savings account. The keys to a family’s first home. A small business finally opening. A child’s college fund slowly growing. A retirement nest egg built over decades.

For 50 years, BDO has been a part of many of these stories.

Growing with Filipino dreams

Over five decades, BDO has grown alongside generations of Filipinos and the financial goals that matter to them. The young saver who opened a first account is now the parent saving for his child’s education. The entrepreneur who started with a small business went on to employ others. Families built homes, prepared for emergencies, planned for retirement and passed on money lessons to the next generation.

Through all these milestones, one thing has remained constant: BDO’s commitment to find ways to help clients move closer to their goals.

A golden Thank You

As BDO marks its golden year, it is choosing to celebrate the people who helped shape its journey: its clients. It is also saying thank you in a way that gives customers even more reason to celebrate.

BDO is launching its 50th Anniversary Raffle, giving more than 250 customers the chance to win exciting prizes, including brand-new hybrid cars that help reduce fuel costs and emissions, along with SM Gift Passes for shopping.

To join, new clients can open a qualified account, register online once, and maintain the required balance for BDO Unibank or BDO Network Bank to earn raffle entries. Existing clients can also earn raffle entries by adding to their deposits and completing the one-time online registration.

The promo runs from August to December 2026 and features five raffle draws, with the fifth and final draw serving as the Grand Draw in January 2027 for eligible August to December participants.

The next 50 years

50 years is a long time, and much has changed in the way Filipinos manage money.

Transactions that once required a trip to the branch can now be completed online or through a mobile phone. Payments have become faster. Access to financial products has expanded. Customers today expect banking to keep pace with the way they live, work and manage their money.

Financial dreams have changed, too. For one generation, success may have meant owning a home and securing a pension. Younger Filipinos today may be saving for travel, building an emergency fund, launching a side business or investing to gain more financial freedom.

Tomorrow’s dreams may look different. And, while the goals may change, the need for a trusted financial partner remains.

That is why BDO continues to evolve alongside its clients, finding ways to make banking simpler, more accessible and more responsive to what they need today and what they hope to achieve tomorrow.

Because after 50 years, Filipinos are still dreaming. And BDO is still finding ways

More than 300,000 children in Cagayan Valley are expected to benefit from an intensified measles and rubella immunization campaign launched by the Department of Health.

The DOH said the campaign, dubbed Ligtas Tigdas, formally began on Aug. 10 in Tuguegarao City, with health authorities urging parents to have their children vaccinated against the diseases.

The Cagayan Valley center for health development – through the health promotion unit, the national immunization program and communications management unit – conducted the activity in partnership with the provincial health office of Cagayan.

The campaign seeks to increase the protection of children against measles and rubella, which can cause serious complications and death, particularly among unvaccinated minors.

During the launch, Health Undersecretary Glenn Mathew Baggao emphasized the safety, effectiveness and accessibility of the measles-rubella vaccine.

‘The measles-rubella vaccine has been used worldwide for decades and continues to save billions of lives. It is safe, effective and most importantly, it is provided free of charge to our fellow Filipinos,’ Baggao said.

Select children aged six to 59 months received the vaccine during the launch of the campaign.

Parents and guardians have been urged to bring their children to the nearest health center or coordinate with barangay nurses and midwives.

The combined effects of the enhanced southwest monsoon (habagat) and tropical cyclones Luis and Maymay brought more than a week of persistent rains across Metro Manila and several parts of the country, causing widespread flooding in low-lying communities. Familiar scenes once again filled our screens and social media feeds: families carrying belongings to safety, residents seeking shelter in evacuation centers, commuters stranded by impassable roads and motorists navigating streets submerged by floodwaters.

Then, as often happens, life will slowly return to normal. But I sincerely hope this time, we do more than just that.

PAGASA reported that parts of Luzon received nearly a month’s worth of rainfall in just nine days. In Benguet, rainfall even exceeded the province’s normal August average within that short period. Climate change is not just a concern discussed in conferences and policy papers. We see it unfolding in our communities, schools, roads and homes. But not everything should be blamed on nature.

As of Aug. 12, the Office of Civil Defense reported that around 385,000 families or 1.31 million people had been affected across 10 regions. Infrastructure damage reached P1.12 billion. Hundreds of homes were damaged while thousands sought temporary shelter in evacuation centers. The Department of Education reported that 3,924 classrooms sustained damage, including 751 that were totally destroyed. These are not mere figures in a report – they are disrupted lives, lost income, interrupted education and shattered peace of mind.

The situation brings us to a question that many Filipinos have been repeatedly asking for: what happened to the billions spent on flood control? This is not an unfair question. It is a necessary one.

The Filipino taxpayer fulfills his obligation every day. Taxes are deducted from salaries. Businesses pay their dues. Consumers pay taxes whenever they buy goods and services. In return, government is expected to protect communities and build infrastructure that works.

When the same areas continue to flood despite years of flood control projects, studies and improvement programs, questions naturally arise about what has worked, what has not and what still needs to be done.

The frustration today is deeper because this is not a new problem. This had been the same conversation for decades. Flood control projects have received funding under different administrations. Yet many Filipinos continue to suffer the same situation every rainy season.

Calls for a full accounting of flood control funds deserve our support. People have every right to know where projects were built, how much was spent and whether they delivered what was promised. Every peso comes from taxpayers. Every project should stand up to public scrutiny.

Accountability should not begin and end with hearings or press briefings. If mistakes were made, they should be corrected. If funds were misused, those responsible should answer for them. That is how public trust is built.

I also find myself thinking about how often we return to the phrase ‘Filipino resilience.’

For years, we wore it as a badge of honor. It reflected our ability to endure, adapt and help one another through difficult times. Those qualities remain among our greatest strengths and are worth celebrating. But resilience, by itself, is not a flood control plan.

Every flood reminds us of the quiet heroism of ordinary Filipinos. Parents do whatever they can to keep their children safe. Neighbors look after one another. Linemen, service crews, local officials and volunteers work long hours so communities can get back on their feet. These stories, while they inspire us, should also challenge us.

We cannot be satisfied with simply getting through one flood after another. The real goal is to make sure fewer families have to go through the same hardship the next time the rain comes. That is what progress should look like.

As a senior citizen, I have witnessed many storms – both literal and political. I have also seen how quickly public attention shifts once the skies clear and daily life resumes. Yet flooding remains a recurring challenge for many communities. That is why the conversation should continue long after the waters have receded.

Flood management cannot be limited to rescue operations, relief goods and evacuation centers. These are essential and often lifesaving, but they are only part of the response. Equal attention must be given to long-term solutions that strengthen infrastructure, protect the environment and reduce future risks.

What we need is a sustained national commitment that extends beyond election cycles and focuses on lasting results for the generations that will inherit the communities we build today.

We do not have to look far for examples of what can work. Singapore has spent years investing in drainage and water management. Japan has built systems that help protect communities from even the worst storms while making sure those systems are maintained. South Korea showed that restoring rivers and waterways can reduce flooding while making cities more livable.

The lesson is not that these countries are wealthier or luckier. The lesson is that they stayed focused. They planned for the long term and stuck with it. We can do the same.

The priorities are not difficult to identify. Flood control projects must be transparent. Rivers and drainage systems must be maintained regularly, not only after they overflow. Watersheds and forests must be protected. National agencies and local governments must work from the same plan instead of pursuing separate solutions.

None of this will make headlines overnight. Good maintenance rarely does. But some of the most important public works are the ones people barely notice because they quietly do their job.

That, after all, is the goal. Success should not be measured by the number of rescue boats deployed after a storm. It should be measured by the number of families who never need rescuing in the first place.

As the waters recede once again, we owe it to affected families, displaced workers, students returning to damaged classrooms and taxpayers who continue to do their part to keep this conversation going.

Resilience will always be part of who we are. But for the sake of our children and grandchildren, we should aim for something more: communities that are safer, better prepared and less vulnerable each time the rain comes. That will require accountability, competence and the discipline to stay the course long after the floodwaters are gone.

Filipino boxer Mark Magsayo is out to put a mark in the unbeaten record of Andres Cortes.

Magsayo will be battling the American Cortes next month in a 10-round lightweight bout in the undercard of the Ryan Garcia-Conor Benn showdown on September 12 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Magsayo is currently riding a five-match win streak. Most recently, he defeated Feargal McCrory via technical knockout back in April of this year.

In his previous five wins, the former featherweight champion has knocked out Bryan Mercado, Isaac Avelar and McCrory.

But Cortes is no pushover.

He is coming off a unanimous decision win over Eridson Garcia in the main event of the April card.

Magsayo is currently holding a 29-2 win-loss record, with 19 knockouts. Cortes, on the other hand, is undefeated through 25 matches, with 13 knockouts.

A recent national championship showdown gets a compelling sequel when the ICTSI Elite Junior PGT Finals blasts off Tuesday, August 18, with North’s Lisa Sarines and Team South’s Tashanah Balangauan and Precious Zaragosa renewing their rivalry in the girls’ 15-18 division at the Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club.

Sarines comes into the Ryder Cup-style showdown with bragging rights firmly in hand after dominating Balangauan and Zaragosa in the National Stroke Play Championship at Pradera Verde. But while the North ace proved her mettle in a pressure-packed individual battle, Zaragosa has since shown signs of a strong bounce-back, particularly in head-to-head competition.

Zaragosa emerged as the top performer among the three in the National Match Play Championship, advancing all the way to the final before settling for runner-up honors to champion Grace Quintanilla. Sarines, meanwhile, placed third, while Balangauan also saw action in the tournament. The three, however, did not cross paths, leaving Zaragosa without a chance to face Sarines directly.

Still, Zaragosa’s deep run in match play provides a timely boost heading into the team showdown, where she and Balangauan will look to turn the tables on Sarines and the North squad. And with the South players boasting greater familiarity with Pueblo de Oro, the rematch could take on a much different complexion from their previous encounter.

Balangauan and Zaragosa will be driven not only by the desire to avenge their recent setbacks but also by the confidence that comes with playing on familiar turf. Pueblo de Oro’s rolling terrain, deep natural ravines and five interconnected lakes provide a demanding test, but one that the local players know perhaps better than anyone in the field.

That familiarity could prove especially valuable in a format where teamwork, strategy and momentum can be just as decisive as individual shot-making.

Sarines, teaming up with twin sister Mona, Rafa Anciano and Kendra Garingalao, will likewise have ample opportunity to get acquainted with the Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed layout before the matches begin. But Balangauan and Zaragosa will have the added advantage of rediscovering the lines, breaks and nuances of a course they call home.

Cebuanas Apple Gotiong and Lois Lane Go will provide further depth to Team South, joining Balangauan and Zaragosa in anchoring the region’s bid to wrest the championship from the North in the three match-play formats – Fourball (Best-Ball), Foursomes (alternate shot) and singles.

And there is unfinished business to settle.

Team South is out to avenge its loss at The Country Club last year, when the Northerners fashioned out a commanding 26 1/2-21 1/2 victory in the inaugural staging. This time, the venue has been switched to Pueblo de Oro as part of organizing Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc.’s commitment to fair play and sportsmanship, giving the South not only home-course familiarity but also a fresh setting in which to turn the tables.

The change of scenery, however, hardly guarantees a change in fortunes.

And while the girls’ 15-18 division may provide the headline attraction, it will hardly be the only one worth watching.

The Finals will also feature the 7-10 and 11-14 boys’ and girls’ divisions, as well as the boys’ 15-18 category, bringing together a deep pool of the country’s most promising young players in a format designed to showcase both individual talent and team spirit

With up to 400 tons of garbage to be cleared from the Redemptorist water channel in Baclaran, Parañaque, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority dispatched yesterday the MMDA’s trash skimmer to fast-track the waste collection efforts.

The trash skimmer, a mechanical device that scoops up floating waste to deposit into a collection bin or container, is used along with the manual cleanup operations in the creek, MMDA said.

As of 3 p.m. yesterday, the MMDA had used 96 trucks for the garbage collection.

This is equivalent to 418.4 metric tons of waste and debris collected from the area since Monday.

‘We will not stop until we clear the Redemptorist Channel and other water channels that have garbage problems,’ MMDA general manager Nicolas Torre III said.

He stressed that discipline and cooperation from citizens are needed to manage the situation, as the government continues to make waste disposal systems efficient.

‘We are appealing to our fellow citizens to cooperate by not adding to the stress on the system as the government carries out these efforts. Properly disposing of even small pieces of trash will help speed up the rehabilitation and improvement of our surroundings,’ Torre added.

MMDA Chairman Don Artes said the Metro Manila Council has approved a resolution to increase the fines for the anti-littering law to P5,000 in Metro Manila cities and P2,500 in Pateros.

‘We are awaiting the individual ordinances of each city. We will follow it up in the next MMC meeting,’ said Artes.

Bernardo Amurao, Parañaque City environment and natural resources office chief, said the cleanup would be completed in two to three days.

‘We should not be blaming each other anymore. We should just be helping one another,’ Amurao told dzMM yesterday.

He noted that that the cleanup is slowed down because of heavy traffic, noting that the collected trash is brought to San Mateo in Rizal.

To help speed things up, the MMDA and the Department of Public Works and Highways have designated Tripa de Galina in Pasay as a point where the collected trash can be dumped before a contractor collects it.

‘I hope we learn waste segregation and not throw garbage in creeks and rivers. If you dump garbage the wrong way, whenever there’s rain and wind, that will return to Manila Bay and for sure, the trash that you throw will return to you,’ Amurao said.

The garbage emerged this week as Metro Manila was battered by monsoon rains.

A resolution seeking an investigation into EDSA’s rehabilitation and repair was filed on Thursday, August 13, after potholes emerged following more than a week of heavy rains in Metro Manila.

Senate Resolution No. 594, filed by Sen. Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson, asked the Senate Committee on Public Works to assess the EDSA Rehabilitation Project and review its design and engineering standards.

Lacson cited the P6 billion budget allocated for the rehabilitation and repair of EDSA in the resolution, adding that the investigation is intended to ensure accountability.

On August 10, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon inspected the EDSA Busway along Estrella Street in Makati City after potholes appeared in the area. He said the damage was caused by rainwater.

The affected roads are part of Phase 1 of the EDSA Rehabilitation Project.

‘For nearly a week, persistent southwest monsoon (habagat) rains have drenched parts of Luzon, including Metro Manila; damaging several main thoroughfares, including recently rehabilitated sections of EDSA. The presence of fresh potholes means the newly repaired avenue will already require another round of maintenance,’ the resolution reads.

The project was launched by the Department of Public Works and Highways in June 2025, with Phase 1 covering the repair of Roxas Boulevard to Orense Street and Phase 2 covering Orense Street to Monumento.

Both rehabilitation and repair projects were awarded to Readycon Trading and Construction Corp., with the second phase a joint venture with Dumduma Construction and Trading Corp.

The project’s Phase 1, completed in April 2026, was worth P1,183,374,622.61. Meanwhile, the Phase 2 contract, worth P4,009,473,018.88, was signed on June 4, with the Notice to Proceed issued on June 8, 2026.

‘Rapid deterioration of recently rehabilitated roads, most notably EDSA, just months after completion exposes deep-seated flaws in the planning, design, construction and management of high-cost public infrastructure projects,’ Lacson added.

The local stock market rose for the second straight session as investors continued to capitalize on bargain stocks.

The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index rose by 0.63 percent or 39.75 points to end the session at 6,366.64.

The broader All Shares index also advanced by 0.76 percent or 26.07 points to 3,463.99.

Philstocks Financial said the local market’s rise was attributed to bargain hunting together with appreciation of second quarter and first half corporate results of selected stocks.

However, it said trading was still tepid with net value turnover at P6.2 billion as many investors stayed on the sidelines amid uncertainties in the Middle East and downside risks to the country’s economic outlook.

‘The local bourse pulled off an impressive late-afternoon surge to finish on a high note. Shrugging off a sluggish morning session, buyers moved into heavyweights BPI, SM and SM Prime, more than absorbing profit taking in ICTSI, Ayala Land and Emperador,’ First Metro Securities said.

‘The rally appeared largely anchored by robust domestic appetite ahead of the crucial US CPI (consumer price index) print,’ it said.

RCBC chief economist Michael Ricafort said the PSEi went up mostly on better corporate earnings among the biggest listed local companies.

Ricafort also cite the latest rollback in local fuel pump pries by at least P4 per liter that could help ease inflationary pressures.

All sectors were in the green, except for services, which fell by 1.36 percent. Holding firms led the charge with a 2.32-percent jump, followed by financials with a 1.87-percent gain.

Market breadth was positive as advancers crushed decliners, 111 to 84, while 49 issues were unchanged.

ICTSI was the session’s top traded stock, plummeting by 1.61 percent to P980 per share. It was followed by First Gen, which skyrocketed by 28.4 percent to P27.35 and BPI, which climbed by 4.37 percent to P107.50.